We live in a media-driven world. It is said that America's largest export is agricultural products, but following close behind are American videos, television, movies, music, magazines, books, photographs and other entertainment and information media. People all over the world watch popular American films and television programs, one can hear American music in Beijing, Harare or Sao Paulo, and photos of American pop stars can be found everywhere. Unique content has become much more commercially important worldwide than largely-fungible hardware, software or systems.
New technology is transforming how we distribute media content. Thomas Edison's original Victrola sound recordings existed only on wax cylinders, and for many years wax and vinyl audio distribution technology (“record albums”) protected content by making it difficult to extract and copy acceptable renditions. Nowadays, content is commonly distributed as replicated digital copies stored onto stamped, read only storage media such as DVD's, Blu-ray discs, or music CD's and sold to the consumer as packaged goods. Hundreds of millions of these discs are in use today worldwide.
While being relatively inexpensive to mass produce, content DVD's, Blu-ray discs, and CD's have limitations that have led to the growth of electronic distribution methods for content in the form of streaming media, downloads of digital files from a networked host and other techniques. As more content becomes stored and managed in the “cloud” and distributed as electronic files or streaming media, consumers who own licenses to content stored on physical media such as DVD's, Blu-ray, discs and CD's, seek the means to establish or record their ownership of these licenses and perform transactions that can move their rights to use the content to network-residing content and/or a new storage media; or they may seek the means to easily sell, trade-in, or transfer their license to a third party.
Example non-limiting illustrative technology herein provides a system and method that facilitates controlled licensing transactions for content bound to read only media by eliminating the need to physically deliver the content and its read only storage media container to the recipient, content owner, or authorized intermediary. Example non-limiting methods use digital equipment, digital networking, software and tools to identify, destroy, confirm destruction, create an audit trail, and account for any compensation given in exchange for the transaction. The illustrative process can be consumer implemented in the field at any location the consumer chooses, using digital equipment they operate. The illustrative process can be completed by the consumer without the need to involve a witness or third party to verify or attest to the transaction. Non-limiting examples of this equipment may include a suitably equipped personal computer, web tablet, DVD player, Blu-ray player, a portable media player, a suitably equipped High Definition television set, a home media server, and set top box, among others.
An example non-limiting system that enables the consumer to obtain valuable rights or compensation in exchange for implementing a process involving licensed content stored on physical media should also prevent and discourage fraudulent transactions. Without mechanisms to prevent fraud, an unscrupulous consumer could use any one of the several million DVD's or Blu-ray discs in circulation from rental stores, libraries, or friends and claim ownership of a license and its privileges. While maintaining the convenience of a location-independent and self-administered process, the illustrative non-limiting technology herein prevents and discourages fraud through the following mechanisms:
Rent/Borrow-Retire-Return: The fraud use case is described as a situation where the consumer has rented or borrowed a replicated DVD, Blu-ray, or Compact disc (CD) and uses it to claim ownership of a license, retire the disc in exchange for benefits or compensation, and then returns the disc to the rental store or source. The illustrative non-limiting method discourages fraud of this use case by rendering the content unusable which would implicate the last holder of the disc thus making it less likely that the borrower or renter of the disc would attempt fraud. Furthermore, the alteration of the media can be made clearly visible to the naked eye and distinctive in its appearance so as not to not be confused with normal wear and tear. Making the disc unusable through the placement of a distinctive and visible alteration of the media would make performing a Rent/Borrow-Retire-Return transaction unlikely.
Presenting a Copied Original: This fraud use case results from the consumer attempting to qualify for a licensing transaction by using a read/write or write once disc that stores a copy or image file of a replicated DVD, Blu_ray, or Compact disc (CD). The illustrative system prevents this type of fraud through the detection of read/write or write once media during the initial scanning and identification process. Any media detected as read/write or write once media is rejected and disqualified by the system and no licensing transaction is performed.
Presenting a Previously Retired Disc: This fraud use case results from the consumer attempting to qualify for a licensing transaction by using a previously retired or altered disc. In this example use case the system detects the altered media at the initial scanning and identification process and the media is rejected and disqualified from a licensing transaction.
Circulation of A Retired Disc: This fraud use case results from a retired and altered disc that is distributed to users who own or gain access to an unaltered and usable disc of the same content. The altered and retired disc is used to trick the system that the destruction of the consumer's content, identified during the initial scanning process has been performed when in fact it has not, and in its place the consumer has substituted the previously altered and retired disc. The illustrative system has the capability to create a unique signature of the altered media properties and preserve a record of this signature in a data base. The method by which the unique signature is created can include the location of the destruction of the content on the media, the shape of the alternation of the media, and/or information interpreted by the system as unique information from the inspection of the altered media. Prior to approving a licensing transaction, the system queries the signature database of retired discs and disqualifies any disc that has been previously recorded in the database. In addition to the measures used that examine and record destroyed signatures prior to accepting the disc for a licensing transaction, the system may query a session record to determine if the alteration process has been completed within an acceptable time limit to ensure rental or borrowed discs are not scanned to await the future delivery of a retired or altered disc.
Circulation of a Fraud Set of Discs: A fraud set of discs is similar to the circulation of a retired or altered disc with the exception that consumer does not have possession of a usable copy of the content and media. Instead the consumer gains access to set of discs where one is a usable copy and the other is a destroyed copy of the same content. The consumer uses this set of discs to qualify for a licensing transaction, then circulates the “Fraud Set” to other consumers who do the same. As described with the circulation of a retired disc use case, the system records a unique signature of the properties of the retired disc in a data base, and confirms that the same retired disc has not been used in a previous licensing transaction prior to approving a new licensing transaction.
Altered Retired Discs: This fraud use case results from the consumer attempting to reuse a previously retired disc by modifying its previous alteration or destruction pattern so as to create a new unique signature on the previously retired disc. The illustrative method would prevent this fraud use case through the identification of an invalid shape or alteration pattern, or in the case where alterations are made by a powered mechanism, a lookup of the disc signature from less visible minute alterations made on the disc media which would indicate the disc had been reused. Less visible and minute alterations of the media are difficult for the consumer to modify thus significantly lowering the risk of this fraud.
The example non-limiting measures taken by the illustrative non-limiting system to prevent fraud are scalable in their robustness and controlled by the online system and its policy management component. Thus the licensor may adjust the level of fraud protection from none to robust measures as warranted by business conditions. The policy management system controls the level of security in accordance with criteria that may include a time schedule from initial release of the content, market value of the content, or other criteria.
A non limiting example of content follows: This disclosure describes a system and method for the recording and management of licenses for content stored on replicated, read only, storage media. The term “content” is often but not exclusively used to refer to the recordings made of a creative work, performance, or composition so that the creative work may be replicated, distributed and output on a device for mass consumption. Technology is used to capture and record creative works for future consumption. Technology may capture and render a creative work as an analog waveform or digitize the creative work into a digital file. Non-limiting examples of creative works may include movies, musical performances, audio books, television shows or programs, music videos, and photographic images, among others. Content is commonly replicated as analog recordings or digital files, bound to a storage medium, and distributed as packaged goods for retail sale. A few examples of these products include Digital Versatile Discs (DVD's), Blu-ray Discs (BD's), Compact Discs (CD's), or audio recordings on Records or LP's.
DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records contain analog recordings or digital files of the content that can not be erased or deleted from the substrate by playback devices. When content is stored on a substrate that does not have the capability to erase or delete the content, its storage media is referred to as Read Only Media or ROM. Since content files bound to read only media can not be overwritten or deleted by the media playback device, a process by which a consumer seeks to move, retire, lend, trade, or sell content bound to a DVD, BD, CD, or Record disc, may require the consumer to deliver or send the DVD, BD, CD, or Record to the recipient.
The term “content owner” should not be in many or most cases confused with a consumer who purchases packaged goods such as DVD's or CD's. A significant portion of content that is used by consumers is composed of copyrighted material that is licensed for the private use of the purchaser of the packaged goods in which a copy of the content is stored. For example, when a consumer purchases a DVD of a movie, he does not purchase the actual content but instead is buying a license to use, play and privately perform the content. Ownership of the content remains with the content owner, or rights owner, who owns a controlling interest in the content itself. When content is licensed for use, the owner of the content is typically referred to as the licensor and the purchaser of the right to use the content is typically referred to as the licensee. In many cases, when packaged storage media containing content is sold to a consumer, the content owner is licensing the right for the consumer to use a single copy of the content stored on physical storage media for private, non commercial use. Thus a system that enables the consumer to cancel, transfer, or sell his license to use the content, should ensure the consumer no longer has use of, control, or possession of any licensed copies of the content prior to completing any transaction that cancels his license.
Content is commonly replicated as analog recordings or digital files, bound to a storage medium, and distributed as packaged goods for retail sale. Typically these packaged goods are mass produced and replicated without serialization or other means to identify and track each unit of production and record its ownership with the licensee. Thus, licensing transactions involving the transfer of the licensee's rights to use the content to a third party or to new storage or other form of the media for use by the same licensee typically requires the licensee to physically surrender the physical media and stored licensed content to a recipient, service bureau or other trusted depository prior to completing the transaction.
Shipping or delivering content stored on DVD's, BD's, CD's or Records to a recipient is a time consuming, tedious and expensive process that many consumers would choose to avoid. DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records do not fit in standard size envelopes so special shipping mailers must be found and purchased. Alternatively, several discs may be packed in a box and shipped, however; packaging and delivering the content to the shipper is inconvenient. DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records may be damaged or lost in shipment resulting in a complete loss to the licensee. Furthermore, both of these methods require someone to pay for the shipment which reduces the proceeds of the transaction, thus making commerce in content trading less attractive.
Once shipped, the DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records must be received and processed by the content owner or authorized intermediary. The labor associated with handling, accounting for, and disposing of returned DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records creates significant costs that deplete the residual valuation available to the consumer for the trading or commerce of their DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records. Furthermore, the expense of processing returned DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records lowers profit margins for the content owner or their agent, making the business less attractive and increasing costs to the consumer.
When used in support of a licensing transaction, a retirement of DVD's, BD's, CD's, and Records can be used to offset the purchase price of new rights or licenses. For example, compensation given for the retirement of a license may be used to purchase new content licenses packaged on ROM media such as DVD's, BD's, or CD's or content packaged in digital files that are distributed online. Licenses need not be limited to the purchase of new content or trade ins however; but may be used to allow new privileges for the use of original content. For example, the right to move the original content to a new storage media or location, create additional copies of the original content, or the right to convert the original content to higher quality (e.g. SD to HD) or new format (e.g. 2D to 3D), are rights that may be purchased that enhance the rights associated with the original content. When rights are offered for sale and use of content they are referred to as Rights Offerings or Licenses.
Retirement in one non-limiting example is a process by which a consumer who purchased content bound to read only storage media, voluntarily disables the media and its stored content to a level deemed sufficient by the content owner, so that the use of content that was originally stored on media does not remain with consumer, or so it could not be used by another consumer or entity. Retirement allows the consumer to surrender their ability to access and use the content in its original physical form in exchange e.g. for compensation, the transfer of the right to a third party, as a condition of receiving new rights or privileges by a content owner or their authorized intermediary, or for other purposes.
When used in support of a trade-in transaction, a retirement can be used to offset the purchase of new rights or licenses. For example, compensation given for the retirement of a license may be used to purchase new content licenses packaged on ROM media such as DVD's, BD's, or CD's or content packaged in digital files that are distributed online. Licenses need not be limited to the purchase of new content or trade-in's however; but may be used to allow new privileges for the use of the original content.
The preceding discussion is provided for general background information and it is not intended to be used to assist in the determination of the scope of the claimed subject matter.